Caldwell et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 2,661,349, disclose water-dispersible reaction products of starch or cellulose with, inter alia, alkyl- and alkenyl-substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides. Specifically, starch reacted with octenylsuccinic anhydride (OSAn) is now an established commercial product, and hereinafter is referred to as xe2x80x9cOSAn-starch.xe2x80x9d While starch itself has no emulsifing properties, the octenylsuccinylated starch is characterised by having both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups and does provide emulsifying properties. Various improvements of Caldwell""s process have been described, such as by Richards in U.S. Pat. No. 4,035,235, Billman in U.S. Pat. No. 5,672,699, Maliczyszyn et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 6,037,466. Harris et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,977,348, disclose the esterification of various polysaccharides in a densified liquid such as supercritical carbon dioxide. Harris et al. list starches, gums, celluloses, dextrins, glycogen, hemicelluloses, dextrans, inulins, and gums (agar, arabic gum, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, pectin, carrageenan, alginates, tamarind seed gum, xanthan gum, konjac gum, guar gum, gum acacia, (also known as gum arabic) and locust bean (or carob seed) gum as xe2x80x9cbasesxe2x80x9d that may be treated. Harris states that xe2x80x9cbasesxe2x80x9d such as guar gum can not be efficiently modified, as, when solubilized in water or organic solvents, they are too viscous to process in solutions containing above about 1% solids by weight. Nakajima, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,553, discloses the reaction of saccharides (mono-, di-, and oligo-saccharides) with at least 30 parts by weight of an alkenylsuccinic anhydride per 100 parts of the saccharide, and up to parts of the anhydride to make surfactants providing desired foaming properties in cosmetic applications. OSAn-starch is used as an emulsifier for oil-in-water emulsions in, for example, bakery, beverages, and salad dressings. Typically its use is limited to xe2x80x9cweightedxe2x80x9d emulsions. Weighted emulsions are emulsions wherein a weighting agent, such as glyceryl abietate, brominated vegetable oil, or sucrose acetate isobutyrate (SAIB), is added to the oil phase. The weighting agent reduces the difference in density between the oil (less dense) and water (more dense) phases, thus reducing the sedimentation rate. For many beverages, a concentrated flavor oil emulsion is diluted with water, sweeteners, and soluble additives such as citric acid, and then carbonated, to yield a clear beverage. Weighting agents are used when opacity of the final beverage is required or desired. While this is acceptable for naturally opaque beverages such as orange juice, it is unacceptable for beverages intended to be clear. For such clear beverages, OSAn-starch may not provide stable unweighted flavor emulsions, resulting in some phase separation, such as an unacceptable oil ring forming at the liquid surface. Typically, in such cases, an emulsifying grade of gum acacia (from Acacia Senegal and related species) is used as the emulsifying agent. Emulsifying grades of gum acacia are expensive, the supply is seasonal, and the supply is subject to U.S. trade sanctions, bans, and embargoes. Additionally, some corn starch producers have been unable to guarantee their products are not derived from genetically modified organisms (GMO), creating a marketing problem where consumers demand products that are xe2x80x9cGMO-free.xe2x80x9d
Thus it would be desirable to have polysaccharide or hydrocolloid emulsifiers that are not based on cornstarch or its derivatives, are effective with and without weighting agents, and do not have the supply problems and costs of emulsifying grade gum acacia. The present invention provides a range of such products.
The present invention provides emulsifiers that satisfy the needs noted above.
Specifically, the instant invention provides an emulsifier comprising the reaction product of at least one hydrocolloid having a viscosity of about from 2 to 500 cP in 10% aqueous solution at 20xc2x0 C. and about from 2 to 15% by weight, based on the hydrocolloid, of at least one dicarboxylic acid anhydride selected from alkane- and alkene-substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides. The emulsifiers preferably further comprise up to about 95%, by weight of the total solids, of at least one carbohydrate bulking agent. The invention also provides oil-in-water emulsions based on these emulsifiers.
The present invention is directed towards new compositions of matter, comprising the reaction products of alkane- and alkene-substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides and at least one low viscosity hydrocolloid (hereinafter Class A). The hydrocolloid can further comprise up to about 95%, by weight of the total solids, of at least one carbohydrate bulking agent (hereinafter Class B). The invention is further directed to oil-in-water emulsions comprising about from 1 to 60 weight % of at least one oil, about from 0.5 to 30 weight % of at least one emulsifier as described above, and water.
Preferred alkane- and alkene-substituted dicarboxylic acid anhydrides which can be used in the present invention include those represented by the following Formula 1: 
where R1 is a straight or branched chain alkyl radical or branched or straight chain ethylenically-unsaturated alkyl radical having 3-18, and preferably 6-10, carbon atoms, and R2 is a divalent saturated or divalent unsaturated radical having 2-3 and preferably 2 carbon atoms. R1 can contain more than one ethylenically-unsaturated group. Most preferred is octenylsuccinic anhydride due to its ready availability. For simplicity, octenylsuccinic anhydride (hereinafter abbreviated as xe2x80x9cOSAnxe2x80x9d) will be used to represent typical anhydrides of Formula 1. The amount of OSAn used, based on the solids content of the hydrocolloid or hydrocolloid and bulking agent solution, is about 2-15%, and preferably about 10%.
The hydrocolloids, which are also commonly known as water-soluble gums, of Classes A and B are natural or hydrolyzed hydrocolloids that disperse in water giving solution viscosities of about 2-500 cP (0.002-0.5 Pa-s) in 10% aqueous solution at 20xc2x0 C., preferably about 2-250 cP (0.002-0.25 Pa-s) at 10% concentration, and most preferably about 2-100 cP (0.002-0.1 Pa-s) at 10% concentration. While certain natural hydrocolloids such as non-emulsifying gum acacia (from Acacia seyal and related species) and inulin provide such low viscosities, other hydrocolloids such as guar gum require partial hydrolysis to reduce their solution viscosities to such lower values. Reduction of the viscosity of the hydrocolloids is effected by methods well known to those skilled in the art, including enzymatic, acid or base hydrolysis, or gamma irradiation, etc. The extent of such pre-hydrolysis is that sufficient to provide a hydrolyzed hydrocolloid that has the specified range of viscosity in water.
The carbohydrate bulking agents are added to raise the solids content, but not the viscosity, of the aqueous hydrocolloid solution, thereby maintaining the handling and blending characteristics of the final emulsions. The bulking agents can be selected from a wide variety of materials, including, for example, hydrolyzed polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, or monosaccharides. Dextrins (defined as a hydrolyzed starch) and dextrose (glucose) are preferred for their ready availability, lack of color, and a taste that is either bland or absent. The dextrins can be prepared from any starch source, including but not limited to corn, potato, and tapioca. Sources of starch other than from corn may be desirable if contamination of corn by GMO is of concern. Dextrins of various oligosaccharide lengths are described by the dextrose equivalent (DE) value, determined by measuring the percent reducing value of the dextrin compared with glucose. Thus dextrose has a DE value of 100 and starch itself has a DE of 0. Dextrins with a DE value equal to or greater than about 10 are preferred. Dextrins with DE values less than about 5 tend to have limited solubility in water and can contribute undesirable cloudiness to products. The bulking agent is added in an amount sufficient to raise the solids content of the aqueous hydrocolloid solution, prior to reaction with the OSAn, to about 5-70% by weight, preferably about 10-40%, and most preferably about 15-25%. The combination of viscosity and solids content of the substrate prior to treatment with OSAn is generally achieved with a ratio of hydrocolloid to bulking agent of about from 1:0 to 5:95. Higher solids allow more efficient drying of the product when a powdered product is desired. For flavor emulsions, a minimum concentration of about 5% of the OSAn is preferred to stabilize the emulsion. At these concentrations, the emulsifying agent forms a film around the oil particles, preventing coalescence. For other applications, such as salad dressings, lower emulsifying agent concentrations can be effective. However, OSAn treatment of more concentrated solutions of the hydrocolloid or hydrocolloid and bulking agent, hereinafter referred to as the xe2x80x9ccarbohydrate substrate,xe2x80x9d is more efficient. The OSAn reaction involves both the hydrocolloids and bulking agent components of the carbohydrate substrate. The product can be diluted in subsequent formnulations. The hydrocolloids listed in Table 1 are representative of those that can be used in the present invention. Other natural and synthetic hydrocolloids can also be used in the practice of this invention.
The OSAn reaction can be, and typically is, carried out at ambient temperature, although temperatures in the range of about from 0 to 100xc2x0 C. can be used. Preferred are temperatures of about from 10 to 80xc2x0 C., and most preferred is about 20-30xc2x0 C. Higher temperatures are known to damage the protein component of gums such as gum acacia, guar gum, and locust bean gums, and such damage should typically be avoided. OSAn freezes at about 10xc2x0 C. and is stirred into the aqueous solution to form an emulsion that reacts with the carbohydrate substrate that is dispersed or dissolved in the aqueous phase. Thus temperatures of about from 0 to at least 10xc2x0 C. can require pre-emulsification of the OSAn above 10xc2x0 C. The carbohydrate substrate can be dispersed or dissolved in water to give an aqueous phase containing the desired solids level. With vigorous agitation, the OSAn is added and agitation is maintained until the OSAn has substantially completely reacted. This is typically about 4-10 hours at 20xc2x0 C. When the OSAn has reacted, the reaction mass becomes homogeneous and no phase separation occurs when the agitation is stopped. The time to react is dependent on the reaction temperature. The product can be isolated by any convenient procedure, including but not limited to alcohol precipitation or any method of dehydration such as evaporation, spray drying, or drum drying. The aqueous reaction product can be either concentrated, used as is, or diluted, depending on the requirements of the final application.
The OSAn-treated hydrocolloids, and particularly OSAn-treated mixtures of hydrocolloid and bulking agent (both hereinafter termed xe2x80x9cOSAn-hydrocolloidxe2x80x9d), of the present invention provide valuable advantages. Application of OSAn-hydrocolloids in foods is subject to existing and future food regulations. OSAn-hydrocolloids are useful emulsifying agents that can be used for unweighted emulsions that require clarity as well as weighted emulsions.
Mammalian digestive enzymes do not degrade the hydrocolloid backbone. Accordingly, OSAn-hydrocolloids represent a desirable source of soluble dietary fiber. The OSAn-hydrocolloids share with the parent hydrocolloid the ability to simulate the texture of a high fat formulation and thus act as a partial fat replacer for a reduced fat formulation. While the parent hydrocolloids are mainly hydrophilic in character, the OSAn-treatment adds hydrophobicity or lipophilicity to the molecule, and provides an improved hydrophile-lipophile balance. The OSAn-treatment allows the utilization of so-called xe2x80x9cnon-emulsifying gum acaciaxe2x80x9d to be used as a replacement for xe2x80x9cemulsifying gum acacia.xe2x80x9d As indicated above, the non-emulsifying varieties are cheaper, come from wider and less seasonal sources, and are available from a wide range of sources, eliminating the problems associated with U.S. trade sanctions, bans, and embargoes. OSAn-gum acacia prepared from non-emulsifying gum acacia is significantly more effective as an emulsifying agent than emulsifying gum acacia itself. For example, a stable emulsion can be formed using 5% OSAn-treated non-emulsifying acacia, 10% oil, and 85% water. A stable emulsion using emulsifying gum acacia typically requires at least 15% gum acacia, 10% oil, and water (cf. Example 1 and Comparative Examples B1 and B2).
Certain hydrocolloids, such as gum acacia and guar gum, are known to have higher levels of branching in the polysaccharide backbone, a property that protects flavors in emulsions from oxidation, as might otherwise occur when flavor emulsions are spray dried. An example is the suppression of the formation of limonene epoxide from limonene during spray drying (See Reineccius, Ward, Whorton, and Andon, Developments in Gum Acacia for Encapsulation of Flavors, Am. Chem. Soc. Symp. Ser. 590: 161-168 (1995)).
Certain hydrocolloids, such as gum acacia, xanthan, alginates, and sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), contain anionic groups in the polysaccharide backbone. Anionic groups repel each other, preventing oil droplet coalescence and supplementing the effect from the anionic groups introduced during OSAn treatment, thus further enhancing the emulsifying properties of the OSAn-treated hydrocolloids of this invention.
The OSAn-hydrocolloids of the present invention can be used as emulsifying agents by methods well known to those skilled in the art. As an example, the OSAn-hydrocolloid can be dispersed in water at the desired concentration, e.g., 5%, the oil added with vigorous agitation (e.g., in a Ross mixer, see Examples) to form a coarse oil-in-water emulsion. The particle size of the coarse emulsion is then reduced using conventional techniques by passing the mixture through a homogenizer or colloid mill. Additional particulate ingredients, as in salad dressing emulsions, can be added after homogenization using conventional techniques.
Conventional Coulter Counter analysis of the diluted emulsion provides a plot of the differential counts vs. particle size distribution. This analysis can be carried out, for example, according to the procedures described in Ward, Cell and Developmental Biology of Arabinogalactan-Proteins, Nothnagel et al., Ed. 2000, Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers. From that analysis, two criteria may be selected that are used as objective indices of emulsion stability. These criteria are (i) percent of emulsion particles with diameter less than 2 xcexcm and (ii) median particle size of the emulsion. Larger percentages of particles less than 2 xcexcm and smaller median sizes both correlate well with emulsion stability. For the OSAn-treated hydrocolloid emulsifying agents of this invention, a percentage particle size less than 2 xcexcm of at least 60% is preferred with a median particle size of 2 xcexcm or less. Other emulsion stability tests such as the beverage industry""s xe2x80x9cring testxe2x80x9d and oven accelerated shelf-life studies at 40xc2x0 C. give results consistent with those of the Coulter Counter.
Oil-in-water emulsions prepared with the OSAn-hydrocolloid compositions of the present invention preferably comprise about from 1 to 60 weight % oil, about 0.5-30% OSAn-hydrocolloid, and water. Typically many industrial uses of emulsions involve subsequent dilution in use.
The amount of OSAn used is lower than that required fully to esterify all of the hydroxyl groups in the carbohydrate substrate mixture. Thus, many of the properties of the original hydrocolloid are largely unchanged, but in association with enhanced emulsifying properties. The OSAn-treated hydrocolloids therefore can also be used as suspending agents, water binding agents, and water-soluble fat replacers.